Open Libraries in Denmark

Jan Holmquist details an interesting way libraries have helped keep services open in the face of funding cuts:

An “open library” is a library with a combination of hours staffed with professional librarians and hours with self-service. That combination has proved itself successful because the result is more loans and lots of more visits to the library. In Denmark we have a lot of happy library fans using open libraries. Some are people who now use their local library instead of the main library. We know a lot of people commuting to jobs now have a better opportunity to use the library than they did before. We also know open libraries have reached people who did not use the library before. YAY new library members – How wonderful is that?